Tander wins Race 1

Toll HSV driver Garth Tander took a huge stride towards securing a maiden V8 Supercar Championship Series title with a commanding win in the first race of the Falken Tasmania Challenge in Launceston today.

The lanky West Australian made the field look as though they were standing still on the same track he won all three races at this time last year. Already this year he has had clean sweeps at Queensland Raceway and Barbagallo in Perth.

He is clearly now the Championship favorite with a 31-point lead over Craig Lowndes, depending on what happens in tomorrow’s two races. He streeted Team Vodafone’s Jamie Whincup and Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom today.

But he won’t have a word of Championships, although he did say he would like a comfortable buffer going into the Dunlop Grand Finale at Phillip Island in a fortnight.

“There are still two races to go here and five in the Championship … 31 points is not enough," Tander said.

“You certainly have to weigh up all of the scenarios as they are presented to you. The best scenario for us is to do well tomorrow and create a margin to make all the races at Phillip Island a little less critical."